The Smell of Molten Projects in the Morning

Ed Nisley's Blog: Shop notes, electronics, firmware, machinery, 3D printing, laser cuttery, and curiosities. Contents: 100% human thinking, 0% AI slop.

The New Hotness

  • Amateur Lock Picking

    For reasons not relevant here, I was called upon to open a bulletin-board lock with a complete lack of keys:

    Bulletin Board Lock - locked
    Bulletin Board Lock – locked

    It’s obviously not the highest security lock you’ve ever seen. Armed with a small screwdriver and an old darning needle, this took the better part of 30 seconds:

    Bulletin Board Lock - opened
    Bulletin Board Lock – opened

    Actually, I devoted a few minutes to verify none of my collection of random keys would suffice.

    Replacing the lock not being within my remit, I improvised a simple retainer from available materials:

    Bulletin Board Lock - improvised strap retainer - front
    Bulletin Board Lock – improvised strap retainer – front

    Yes, the nylon cable tie will surely pull out of the latch:

    Bulletin Board Lock - improvised strap retainer
    Bulletin Board Lock – improvised strap retainer

    And I admit the installation’s security has taken a definite downward step:

    Bulletin Board Lock - push pin security
    Bulletin Board Lock – push pin security

    Some day, I’ll tote a wrench to the site, remove the lock, and improve the improvisation.

    Replacing the lock seems mired in an intractable budgetary wrangle. Similar locks being five bucks on Amazon, I’m tempted to just make it happen, but doing so would apparently roil the decision-making stratum. I’m perfectly happy to remain an on-call techie devoid of political ambition.